Operators unite to fight airtime tax

Ghana’s mobile operators have joined forces to reject government proposals for an airtime tax on all voice calls, as previously announced by the country’s Finance Minister as part of the 2008 budget statement presented to Parliament in November.

“The tax will disproportionately impact the lower cost calls on all networks. The very nature of this tax imposed across the board for all subscribers does not take the different social and economic means of consumers into consideration,” an industry spokesperson said. The government is planning the initiative over what it claims is the increasing tide of untaxed mobile devices being brought into the country.